In her late 20s, Vanessa Walilko’s life took a startling turn when a simple case of strep throat led to repeated bouts of scarlet fever, heart issues, and overwhelming exhaustion. But despite mounting symptoms, Walilko was repeatedly dismissed by doctors who attributed her problems to stress. One doctor even sent her home after asking if she had a family history of young people dying unexpectedly.
Walilko, 41, recalls how the doctor’s nonchalant attitude left her feeling confused and frustrated. “I had to check with my friend, ‘Did I catch all that?’” she says. Determined to uncover the truth, Walilko researched her symptoms online and concluded that her boyfriend, a strep carrier, was likely the source of her recurring infections. After seven doctors rejected her theory, one finally agreed to test her boyfriend, confirming he carried the bacteria, which eventually led to Walilko’s recovery.
Her experience is not isolated. Many patients report similar struggles with medical professionals who dismiss physical symptoms as anxiety. This phenomenon, referred to as “medical gaslighting,” occurs when real medical issues are wrongly attributed to mental health concerns. In recent years, viral stories have circulated online, with patients recounting how doctors misdiagnosed serious conditions like appendicitis and cancer as anxiety.
Experts argue that a variety of factors contribute to this pattern. Dr. Robert Gee, a professor at Ross University School of Medicine, explains that anxiety symptoms often overlap with physical conditions, making it easy for both patients and doctors to mistake them for mental health issues. Furthermore, doctors may quickly attribute symptoms to anxiety if the patient has a history of mental health problems, or if the symptoms are vague and diagnostic tests don’t yield clear results.
The consequences of misdiagnosing physical ailments as anxiety can be severe. Patients may endure prolonged suffering due to improper treatment or, worse, fail to seek care altogether out of frustration. Dr. Gee notes that patients may also become more anxious when their concerns are not taken seriously, further complicating their health.
Certain symptoms are particularly prone to misdiagnosis. Digestive issues, for instance, can be mistaken for anxiety, even though they may point to gastrointestinal conditions like IBS, GERD, or foodborne illnesses. Similarly, a racing heart, chest pain, and shortness of breath could signal heart problems or thyroid issues, not just anxiety. Doctors should consider a comprehensive approach, including thorough testing and clear communication, to avoid missing critical diagnoses.
Misdiagnosis can also affect fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and excessive sweating. These symptoms may indicate underlying conditions such as heart disease, thyroid dysfunction, or infections—none of which are linked to anxiety. Doctors are encouraged to listen carefully to patients, take detailed medical histories, and conduct appropriate tests to rule out serious physical conditions.
For Walilko, the journey to a correct diagnosis was a long and exhausting one, but it underscored the need for doctors to approach symptoms with an open mind, avoiding the trap of quickly attributing physical health issues to mental health alone. “We should be able to put our faith in doctors,” she says, emphasizing the importance of thorough, thoughtful care.
